The Gazette asked the candidates standing in Thornbury and Yate to provide a statement explaining why residents should vote for them on Thursday. Here is what Claire Young (Liberal Democrat) had to say.

“The most urgent issues facing this constituency are education and skills, healthcare, and our environment,” she said.

“I will fight to secure decent funding for our schools and end the crisis over support for children with special needs and disabilities, while also making sure that people of all ages can get training for the jobs of the future.

“We need major NHS investment to replace Thornbury Health Centre, provide a full walk-in health centre in Yate and improve our mental health services.

“I want to lead a radical re-think on housing and transport to provide the homes we need while protecting our countryside and playing our part in tackling the Climate Emergency.

“I’ve lived in Coalpit Heath in the constituency since 1999 and have two sons at local state schools.

“My first job was on a supermarket check-out. I went on to gain degrees from Oxford and Cambridge and became a software specialist.

“I’ve worked for both a global giant, in the UK and in Silicon Valley, and for small start-up businesses. Becoming a mum got me more involved in my community, which led to me being elected to South Gloucestershire Council, where I’m now leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.”

“It’s not so much that they haven’t been tackled - more that they’ve haven’t been tackled very well. Housing is probably the biggest failure.

“People want more effective bus and rail services and cycle routes.

“I’m an experienced campaigner who learned my politics from the pavement up.

“My record of action as a councillor shows that I can work effectively with local people and build cross-party consensus to get things done.

“Here the choice is between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. If the Tories win seats like this, they could get a majority and force through Boris Johnson’s deal that will condemn us to years of wrangling and put services we hold dear, like the NHS, at risk.”This is an interesting constituency with traditional rural villages side by side with modern towns like Yate and market towns like Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury.

“Though different voters have different needs, we will all be profoundly affected in a big way by a Tory hard Brexit that very few support, as well as by Climate Change and being too slow to adapt to a fast-changing world.

“We must all be ready to respond and work together to meet the challenges.”

“We aren’t conflicted by Brexit. We have consistently argued for people to be given a new vote on the Brexit now on offer, which is a long way from what was promised in 2016.

“We also have positive but realistic policies on key issues like the NHS, housing, education and environment that don’t involve reckless borrowing.

“Like everyone I’ve faced challenges – like losing my job when my employer went bust weeks after my first son was born. I proved I have the determination and resilience to be an effective MP.”